Folding closure and means for operating same



` 1,61 ,816 March. 8, 1927. w' B' GERVAIS Y 9 FOLDING CLOSURE AND MEANSFOR OPERATING SAME l March 8,1927. 1,619,816

wl B. GERVAIS Y v FOLDING CLOSURE AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAME FiledAug. '13, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 66 y J E 7/ .11. I4 /9/ l l?. t

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' Filed Aug. 13-I 192s l4 sheets-sheet s March 8 1927.

y 1,619,816` W. B. GERVAIS FOLDING cLosURE AND MEANS Foa OPERATING SAMEFiled Aug. 1s, 1923 4 sheets-sheet 4 l o uired,

sections have been D tially or entirely.

Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

narran STATES rifles.

IVAINlViRIGHT B. GERVAIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TG vVARIETYFIRE IJOOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

FOLDING: CLOSURE ANI) MEANS FOR OPERATING SAME.

Application filed August 13, 1923. Serial No. 657,149.

lily invention relates to improvements in folding closure and means "foroperating same.

Closures comprising a plurality of folding proposed before. lVhere theyhare comprised more than one pair of folding sections as in car shops,freight sheds, docks, warehouses and the like where relatively largedoor ray openings are reit has been customary to fold more than one pairof door sections at the same time. The results have been unsatisfactory..Foldingof more than one pair of sections at the same time imposes greatand widely varying stresses, resulting from the different angular andvertical positions ofthe ytwo pairs of sections and this makes operationand control difficult. VFrequently uncovering of only a portion of thedoorway opening is required, yet where two or more pairs of foldingsections are folded simultaneously the same great range of varyingstresses are imposed and operation'and control complicated whether theclosure is opened par- My invention contemplates specifically animproved closure comprising two pairs of folding sections mounted andconnected to permit movement of one pair toward open position. withoutfolding, with the folding of the other pair followed by folding of thefirst pair where further uncovering' of the doorway or other opening isdesired after folding of the second pair. Folding 0f the pairs ofsections separately imposes' the varying stresses iof only one pair ofsections at a time. Partial opening is secured by' folding' only onepair and complete opening is secured by folding the other pair after thefirst pair has been folded. lVhile prefera ble andespecially desirablemovement of the first pa'irof sections toward open position with thefolding of the second pair is not absolutely essentie. Folding of onepair without movement of the other pair toward open position followed byfolding of the second pair where a larger opening is desired afterfolding of the first pair 'of closure sections is contemplated withinthe spirit and scope of this invention. `While the pairs of sections arepreferably arranged one over the other with connections therebetween andthe upper pair of sections are preferably ar-` ranged to fold first,variation and modification of-these aspects of the invention and of theorder of folding is contemplated.

Further features are an improved mechanism for operating the foldingsections and means forcontrolling the operating mecha nism manually orautomatically-as desired.

Details not already referred to and certain constructional featureswhich are novel and important will appear from the following detaileddescription and the claims taken with an inspection of the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

igure l is a front elevational View of a door embodying` the invention.

Figure 2 is a yvertical section on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a horizontal 3-3 of Figure l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section through one of the guides atopposite sides of the doorway and the adjacent jamb taken on line 4-flof Fim l. l

F ig. 5 is a similar section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through one of the stationary lower doorbreaking cams on line 6 6 of Fig. 5 showing fragmentarily the sectionsof the lower door in end elevat-ion and the cooperating breaking cam canried thereby.

.Figa 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the closure operatingmechanism, show# section on line ing an automatic throwput fordisconnect ing the two pulleys which raise the upper door-.sections whensaid sections Vhave been folded into open position.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 and;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated is shown applied to wall 5and is adapted when closed to completely cover doorway or opening 6through said wall 5. Wall 5 which may be ofbrick or any other suitableor preferred construction has the usual `iambs defining the sides ofopening 6. Wall supporting and reinforcing beams 7 are shown along thetop of opening 6.

The closure comprises an upper pair of door sections 8 8 and a lowerpair of door sections 9-9 all of which are adapted to lie in the sameplane in superposed relation when the door is closed. The lower of thetwo bottom door sections fle-9 comprises a frame 1() preferably of wood,although metal or other suitable construction may be employed withinwhich trame there are a piurality oi panels 11 composed otinter-engaging tongued and zogrooved strips ot thinner stock. As alreadypointed out theV closure may be ot metal or other suitable constructionthroughout, in which case corrugated sheet metal or other suitablepanels may beernployed. rlhe upper ot the two lower'closure sectionscomprises a trainev l2 having openings 13 in which panes la ot glass orother suitable transparent material are secured.

Vlhile the upper et the two top door sections 88 is smaller than thelower one ot said sections, these two sections may be ot the samedimensions or otherwise formed as desired, as may be the two lower doorsections 99. AThe upper oit these sections comprises a frame 15 and thelower a traine 16,- each preferablyj although not necessarily of woodconstruction and each provided with panels 17 and 18 respectively whichmaybe formed similar to the panels 1l or otherwise as desired. Variationand modification ot the particular structural details, relativedimensioning'V and material oit the two pairs ot door sections arecontemplated within the scope of my invention. l

The adjacent horizontal. edges ot upper sections 8&8 are hingedlyconnected by a plurality ot straps 19 ot metallic or lother suitableconstruction. one ot each pair being' secured to the back sidertllig. 1)otthe Jframe ot the upper ot the two top sections and the other to thelower ot saidsections in a similar manner. The adjacent ends ot eachpair ot straps 19 are rolled or beaded over suitable pins or pintles 21about the axes ot which the adjacent edges ot the upper door sectionsare adapted to turn in Jfolding. Lower door sections SMD. are hingedlyconnected in a similar manner by straps 22 and pintles 23 about whichthe adjacent edges ot said lower sections turn or revolve in folding.

The lower ot the upper pair ot door sections is hingedly connected tothe upper ot the lower pair ot sections by straps 25 secured to thefront side (Fig. 1) of the trame ot the upper ot the two lower sectionsand rolled atupper projecting' ends over pintlcs or pins 27 about theaires ot which the lower section ot the upper door is adapted to swing'downwardly away trom the wall and toward a horizontal plane in opening.The upper section ot the lower door is adapted to swing' upwardly awaytrom` wall 5 and toward a horizontal plane about pins 27 in opening.Pins 27 are mounted in brackets 28 secured to traine 16 ot the lowersection ot the npper door. This hinge `connection between the upper andlower pair ot doors is an important aspect ot the invention. lt permitsthe wide latitude ot clearance for the proper breaking and folding otthe sections at this point. The outermost pair ot pins 27; that is.lthose at the opposite vertical edges ot the door, have guide rollers 30revolvably mounted thereon. Similar guide rollers 3l. are mounted onpins 32 carried by brackets secured to the lower section of the lowerdoor adjacent the bottom thereot'. Rollers 3l) and 31 are adapted to runor travel in opening' and closing` the doorA` either partially orcompletely, along;` flanges 49 of angle irons arranged vertically andJforming tracks along the opposite sides ot the door.

Vertical trame members 35 oit trame 15 ot the upper ot the top sections8*-8 project upwardly 'trom the horizontal top dening trame member ofsaid section and said sec tion is hingedly hungby straps 37 secured tothese project-ing' trame members. Straps 37 are turned inwardly alongthe upper ends ot trame members 36 and are beaded or 'rolled over pinsor pintles 38 carried by brackets 39 attached to the depending' 'flangeot an angle iron L1-0 which is in turn secured by bolts l2 to wall 5 inhorizontal position above opening' 6.

Jambs of wall 5 are provided with angle jambs 45 mounted over thecorners ot doorway 6 and extending vertically along the height ot eachside ot the doorway. Secured to angle ambs 45 and extending' verticallyalong;` each oi' the opposite sides of the doorway areplates d6 uponwhich are mounted guides tor the opposite vertical edges ot the door.lThese guides each cornprises an angle iron 478 secured to plates 46 andextending vertically trom the floor to the top ot the operatingmechanism. Angle irons 34C back tot the flanges 33 ot which travelinturned flanges 125 on brackets 7Gr` 79, 82 and 86, are secured to theoutwardly projecting flanges t9 ot angles 48. Secured to the oppositesides ot tlanges 49 are angles 50 the flanges 52 of which overlap theedges ot the twolower door sections 9-9 and prevent breaking` or foldingoi' said lower sections until thc upper sections are folded and saidlower sections are moved upwardly sutlicient-ly to clear the upper endsot angles 50 which angles extend from the tloor to about one toot fromthe top ot the lower set ot doors on each side.

To break the hinge line and start the tolding ot the two lower sections9-9 when thev havebeen moved. up to their proper posi/- 'tions a cam isprovided on each ot the opposite vertical edges ot the upper ot thelower two sections just above the lower edce thereof.

These cams 55 cooperate with cams 5G secured to angles i8 in the path otmovement loo IEM)

100 (Fig. 2) pivoted at 101 and having an upwardly extending yolzed armfor shitting clutch member 91 out of engagement with clutch member92.Lever 100has an outwardly extending arm having an eye in which issecured la cable, chain or other suitable means 105 for disengaging theclutch, from the bottom of the door. The

clutch is adapted to be re-engaged by spring 98. lt will nov.' beapparent that upon complete folding of the upper sections anddisengaging clutch 91 from clutch 92 that Yfurther operation of the handchain operates only pulleys 01,-61 to fold the bottom or lower Vdoorsections without further actuation of the upper door cables -78- Theoperating device shown in Figures 7 and 8 is identical with that shownin Figure 2 with the exception that instead of manually disconnectingpulleys 62-62 when the upper sections are Jfolded an automatic throw-outis provided for disconnecting pulleys 62--62 at the proper point. Thiscomprises, in this instance, simply -forming eye 107 in the outer end ofthe outwardly extending arm 106 of bell crank lever 100 otherwise thesame as lever 100 of Figure 2 to receive the chain or cable 75 of theupper door sections, which extends through this eye- 107 and has acollar or other shoulder 108 thereon for striking the arm of the bellcrank lever and throwing the clutch when the two upper door sectionshave been raised to their proper positions.

The independent folding of the pairs of door sections; the movement ofone pair of sections toward open position without folding, with thefolding of the other sec tions; the hanging and hingeconnections forpermitting breaking and proper folding of the door sections; theprovisions for guiding and preventing folding` of the lower sectionsuntil the upper i sections have folded; the provision i'or breaking thehinge connections between the lower sections at the proper point and theactuating'mechanism and means for manually or automatically uncouplingthe upper door actuating means to permit further actuation of the lowerdoor operating means Without further actuation of the upper doors arehighly important aspects of my invention.

l have described the invention, in con nection with the details ot aparticular embodiment, but do not intendV thereby to limit the inventionto such details as changes and modifications are Vcontemplated withinthe scope oi the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. Ina closure, a. pair of door portions, a flexible connection foropening one of said door portions, a second flexible connection foropening the other of said door portions, means for actuating one of saidconnections, means for actuating the other con nection, separate drivemeans for ating means, said drive means being adapted for operationtogether' until .one door .is moved into open position and independentlyto more the other door into open position, and means 'for automaticallyuncoupling said separate drive means as the first door reaches openposition. y

2. ln a closure, a pair of door portions, a exible connection foropening one of said door portions, a second flexible connection foropening the other of said door portions, 'means 'for actuating one ofsaid connections, means for actuating the other connection, separatedrive means for said actuating means, said drive means being adapted foroperation together until oner door is moved into open position and-independently to move the other door into open position, and means foruncoupling said separate drive means as the first door reaches openposition.V

In combination, two lifting pulleys, drive members for the, respectivepulleys, continuously.driven,operating means for one of the pulleys,driving means tor the other pulley, and means associated with the saidcontinuously driven means for throwing said driving means into and outof `operation-` Ll. ln combination, two lifting pulleys, gears connectedto the respective,pulleys for driving the same, pinions meshing with.said gears, means for supporting said pinions, said means having directdriving` connection with one of theV pinions, and clutch lmeansassociated Vwith said supportingmeans for optionally establishingdriving connection between the supporting means and the other pinion. Y

5. vin combination, a lifting pulley, a drive member therefor, a secondlifting pulley, a second drive member for said second lifting pulley,means for drivingl the drive members, means for' connecting said drivemembers to drive the lifting pulleys together and for disconnecting saiddrive members to permit driving of-one pulley independently ot theother, and mea-ns automatically controlling said connecting means.

t5. ln a closure, a pair of closure sections, a lifting pulley for onesection, a lifting pulley for the other section, means 'for driving saidpulleys together until one section is n'ioved into open position, saidmeans'including a clutch, and means controlleil automatically bythemovement of said iirst section into open position for operating saidclutch to permit driving of the pulley Ator the other sectionindependently of said first pulley to move the other section into openposition.

7. In closure, a pair of upper folding closure sections, a pair oflifting pulleys for said sections, a counter-weight, flexibleconnections connected between said sections and the counter-weight andtrained over said liftsaid actuf Cil ` they may be made of canis 55, asthe lower sections approach the upper ends et angles 50, forcing thehingedly connected edges of the'lower door section outwardly and therebystarting the folding ol said sections.

These Canis may be arranged between the bacl side of the door sectionand the door jambs in which case they could be made smaller to notinterfere with the proper closed position'ol' the lowerdoor sections. Byarrangii j then'i as shown, however, there isnov possibility et' suchinterference and up as large as desired to secure the desired break. Thetop edges of cams 56 and the lower edges of cams are shown inclined sothat there will be no possible' interference with the closinginloveinent of the door sections. The adjacent horizontal edges of eachpair otdoor sections and the adjacent horizontal edges of the lowersection of the upper door vand upper section of the lower door arepreterably scarted as shown, to interengage and form tight joints atsaid points.

ll/Iounted upon wall and tol one side thereof' is an open traine 69 inlwhich are mounted two pairs ot' pulleys 61-61 and (S2-432. Pulleys61H61 are driven .together as by keying saine at 73 with a spur gear 63on a sleeve Gl. y Sleeve ($4 'is rotatably mounted on one end of a shaft65 journaled at its yopposite ends in frame 69. Pulleys G2-`2 aresimilarly driventogether and independently of pulleys '5L- 61 as bykeying them at 74 with a gear 6G upon a sleeve 68 rotatable on theopposite end ot shat't 65. The sheaves and gears which are lockedtogether may run upon the shaft instead oi the sleeve or be otherwisearranged. A cable secured atf76 to the lower of the two upper sectionsat a point adjacent the bottom of one end of said section as through asuitable arin or bracket extends up andV around one ol the pulleys 62.and down and is connected at its opposite end to a counterweight 77. vAcable 78 secured at 79 to the bottom of the opposite end of sainesection extends up over a sheave behind sheave 80 across and down overthe other shcave (52 and is secured with cable 75 to counterweight 7T.Counterweight 7T counterbalances the weight oi the upper door sectionsso that said sections will be retained in any folded positionin whichreleased.

A `cable 8l secured at 82 to the lower of the two lower door sections ata ppint adjacent the bottom of Yone end ot said section extends up andaround one of the pulleys (3k-(ll and down and is secured with a cable83 to a counterweight 84. Cable SB is trained over sheave SO in block S5and extends flown and is secured at 86 to the bottom of the opposite endof the saine section. Counterweight 8l counterbalances the above doorway(i.

vfolded. This comprises a bell weight of the lower door sections so thatsaid sections will be retained in .any vertical or toldo-d position inywhich released. Counterweights 77 and 84; .travel and are guided in aguide channel 98 extending vertically along one side of the doorway.

.A shaft 70 rotatabl i journaled in traine has a hand chain sheave 'Tliixed on its outer end and within the traine a pinion 72 lined on shaft79 for rotation therewith meshes with `spur gear 63. Splined at l90 forlongitudinal movementalong shaft '79 is a clutch member 191. Acooperating clutch ineinber 92 loose on shaft 70 has a pinion 93 linedthereon, which pinion 93 meshes with gear G6: A hand chain 95 (Fig. l)trained over she-awe il and down between idlers 96-96'1nayhang looselyto a point conveniently accessible from the bottoni fol' the door asshown or it may be trained over a second .shears at said point ifdesired. The groove in sheave Il may be tori-ned irregular as shown at97 in Fig. 9 for proper engagement with hand chain 95. A coiled spring''98 interposed between pinion 7 2 and clutch ineinber 91 normallymaintains said clutch member in engagement with clutch member 92.

lVhen the upper and lower door .section-s arein closed position and itis desired to open saine, hand chain is grasped and drawn downwardly torotate sheave 7l and thereby shattYO. VClutch members 91 and 92 being 1ndriving engagement both pinions 72 and 98 are rotated, with a resultingrotation of both pairs of pulleys 6l-61 and (S2-$2 through gears 63 andG6. Cables 75-78 and 81-83 are thereby drawn upwardly simultaneously.The upper edge ot' the upper section ot the upper door being fixed,sections 8-8 immediately break at the hinge connection therebetween andfold outwardly toward the dotted line position shown in Figure 2.Simultaneously with the folding of the upper door sections, lowersections 9-9 are moved upwardly without folding through their connectionwith the upper sectionszand through cables 8l and 83.

There only a partial uncovering of the doorway is required folding ot.'the upper sections may sutlice, or it inay not even be necessary tocompletely fold said sections. iV here a greater opening is required,however, operation of hand chain 95 is continued. As the hingeconnection between the lower door sections properly clears the up perends of angles 5() and cams 55 engage cams 56 the hinge connectionbetween sections 9-9 is broken and said sections fold upwardly until theentire doorway or opening G is uncovered.

In Fig. 2, l show means for manually disconnecting upper door pulleys(l2-62 when the upper sections have been completely crank lever ingpulleys, a pair of lower folding sections, a pa-ir of lifting pulleysfor said lower sections, a second counter-weight, flexible connectionsconnected between said lower sections and said second counter-weight andtrained over said second lifting pulleys, driving means for saidflexible connections and a clutch for connecting all of said pulleys tomove the upper and lower pairs of sections together until the uppersections are moved into open position and for disconnecting the pulleysto permit independent movement of the lower sections thereafter.

8. In a folding closure of the character described, a plurality ofhingedlv connected sections, certain of said sections constituting' anupper portion of the closure and the other sections constituting thelower portion of the closure, a cable secured at its ends to the sidesof the upper portion of the. closure, a second cable secured at its endsto the sides of the lower portion of the closure, and means foroperating said cables including` means for discontinuing operation ofthe first cable when the upper portion of the closure is moved into fullraised position while permitting optional continuation of the operationof the second cable for moving the lower portion of the closure intofull raised position.

9. In a folding closure of the character described, a plurality ofhingedly connected sections, certain of said sections constituting anupper portion of the closure and the other sections constituting thelower portion of the closure, a cable secured at its ends to the sidesof the upper portion of the closure, a second cable secured at its endsto the sides of the lower portion of the closure, and means foroperating said cables including means for discontinuing operation of thefirst cable when the upper portion of the closure is moved into fullraised position while continuing operation of the second cable formoving the lower portion of the closure into full raised position.

10. In a folding closure of the character described, an upper' portionand a lower portion, and positively driven operating' means connected tothe respective portions at the sides thereof, said means acting to firstmove the Lipper portion into full raisedV position by Va positivelifting action applied simultaneously to both sides of said'upper'meansand to subsequently move the lower portion into full raised position byapplying to both sides of the lower portion simultaneously a positivelifting action.

11. In a folding closure of the character described, an upper portionand a lower portion, lifting members connected to the sides of the upperportion, lifting members connected to the sides of the lower portion,and means for drivingsaid members, said means acting to positively driveall of said members until the upper portion of the closure is in raisedposition and thereafter drive the lifting members of the lower portiononly until the lower portion is in raised position.

l2. In a folding` closure of the character described, an upper portionand a vlower portion, lifting members connected to the y sides of theupper portion, lifting members connected to the sides of the lowerportion, means for driving said members ,acting to positively drive allof the members', and means controlled by movement of the upper port-ionfor disconnecting from said driving means the lifting members connectedto said upper portion when the upper portion of. the closure member hasbeen moved into full raised position.

13. In afolding `closure of the character described, an upper portionand a lower portion, lifting members connected to the sides of the upperportion, lifting members attached to the sides of the lower portion, andmeans Y for positively driving all of said members, said meanspermitting the respective sets of lifting members to be moved throughdifferent distances in accordance with the distance through which therespective portions of the closure are moved in opening the same.

l/l. In a folding closure of the character described, an upper portionand a lower portion, a pair of lifting members connected to the sides oftheupper portion, operating members having direct driving connectionwith both of said members, a pair of lifting members connected to thesides of the lower portion, operating members having direct drivingconnection with the second pair of lifting members, and means fordriving all of said operating members simultaneously until the upperportion is moved into full raised position and thereafter driving saidsecond pair only of lifting members until the lowerportion of theclosure is moved into raised position.

l5. In a folding closure of the character described, an upper portionand a lower portion, two pairs of pulleys, a cable passing over thepulleys of one pair and having its ends attached to the sides of theupper portion, a second cable passed over the other pair of pulleys andhaving its ends attached to the sidesof the lower portion of theclosure', all of the pulleys having driving engagement with the cables,counter weights suspended from the bight portions of the cables, andmeans for driving all of the pulleys simultaneously until the upperportion of the closure is moved into full raised position and thereafterdriving only the pulleys over which said second cable is passed.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 10th day ofAugust, 1923. IVAINWRIGI'IT B. GERVAIS.

